TUPELO GUMNyssa aquatica L.

Kingdom-Plantae (plant) Subkingdom-Trachebionta (vascular) Superdivision-Spermaphyta (seed) Division-Magnoliophyta (flowering) Class-Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons) Subclass-Rosidae Order-Cornales Family-Cornaceae (dogwood) Genus-Nyssa L. (tupelo) Species-Nyssa aqautica L. (water tupelo)

Shape, Form, Type

Moderately growing deciduous tree.50’ to 80’ high.25’ to 50’ wide.4 foot trunk in diameter.Swollen base that flares outward.

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BarkDark brown or dark gray bark.Finely fissured and thin, if broken the bark is likely to contract a fungus.

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Twig

Twigs can be yellowish brown, red brown, or just brown.Large heart shaped leaf scars are present.Spur shoots are common.

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LeafSimple, alternate leaves about 4”to 8” in length.About 4” in width.Oval shaped but tipped. Gradually smooth with some margins or teeth.A dark green but paler underneath. Leaves turn yellow in the fall.

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Bud

Smooth and rounded budsusually small and light colored.

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FlowerFlowers bloom in early spring. Trees can be only male or female. Flowers are greenish white, the males blooming clusters, the females blooming solitary flowers.Trees may not flower until after the age of thirty.

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FruitTear shaped red or dark purple drupe.Usually 1” to 1.5” in length.They ripen in September.There is one seed inside and they are bitter.Trees may not develop drupes until after 30.

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Habitat and RangeThey grow in sunlight or partial shade.They can grow in many types of soil including water.Southeast United States as far north as southern Illinois.

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UsesGood ornamental in wet areas.The wood is soft and can be used for crates, floors, and broom handles. Lighter wood at the bottom of the tree is used for pulp.

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Resourcesfig. 1-Evans, Erv. (Photographer). Tree. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/nyssa_aquatica.html fig. 2-Bark. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/n/nyaq2-brmedium15804.htm fig. 3-Bark. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=300 fig. 4-Twig. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=300 fig. 5-Leaf. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=300 fig. 6-Baskauf, Steven. (Photographer). (2002). Leaf. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_SB15810&res=640 fig. 7-Baskauf, Steven. (Photographer). (2002). Twig. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/n/nyaq2-tw15814.htm fig. 8-Hogan, Mike. (Photographer). (2004). Flower. [Web]. Retrieved from https://fp.auburn.edu/sfws/samuelson/dendrology/images/cornaceae/og_tupelo_flw1.jpg fig. 9-Fruit. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=300 fig. 10-Hogan, Mike. (Photographer). (2004). Fruit. [Web]. Retrieved from https://fp.auburn.edu/sfws/samuelson/dendrology/images/cornaceae/og_tupelo_frt1.jpgfig. 11-Illinios. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/forest/htmls/trees/N-aquatica.html fig. 12-Map. [Web]. Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch fig. 13-Tree. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/forest/htmls/trees/N-aquatica.html

All found June 22, 2010

-Missouri botanical garden. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=D444-Nyssa aquatica. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/forest/htmls/trees/N-aquatica.html -Evans, Erv. (n.d.). Trees: nyssa aquatica. Retrieved from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/nyssa_aquatica.html -Tupelo gum. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thejump.net/hunting/plant-id/tupelo-gum.htm -Usda plant profile. (2010, May 19). Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=NYAQ2 -Virginia tech university. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=300 -Water tupelo. (2008, April 5). Retrieved from http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/nyaq.html

All found June 22, 2010